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It decays into uranium-240 through alpha decay. Plutonium's most stable isotope, plutonium-244, has a half-life of about 82,000,000 years. Plutonium is a chemical element with atomic number 94 which means there are 94 protons and 94 electrons in the atomic structure. The first production reactor that made plutonium-239 was the X-10 Graphite Reactor, also known as the Clinton Pile, which went online in 1943 in Oak Ridge, TN. Plutonium production was essential for the Manhattan Project, and scientists at institutions throughout the country were competing with isotope separation methods to create it during 1942. Plutonium is created in a reactor when uranium atoms absorb neutrons. Plutonium was used in several of the first atomic bombs, and is still used in nuclear weapons. The atomic number of it is 94. Nearly all plutonium is man-made. Only two of plutonium's isotopes, plutonium-238 and plutonium-239, have found uses outside of basic research. It is very sensitive to changes in temperature, pressure, or chemistry. Plutonium (Pu) was discovered in 1940 by Glenn Seaborg and colleagues at the University of California, Berkeley, and is a radioactive metallic element with the atomic number 94 (the number of protons in the nucleus). It is an actinide metal with a silvery-gray appearance but when oxidized it forms a dull coating. This is a collection of plutonium element facts. It is an actinide metal of silvery-gray appearance that tarnishes when exposed to air, and forms a dull coating when oxidized. What is Plutonium? Plutonium is the second transuranic element with an atomic number of 94 and part of the actinide group of the periodic table. UNII-ET2Z8EJJ1X. The complete detonation of a kilogram of plutonium produces an explosion equivalent to over 10,000 tonnes of chemical explosive. Plutonium, isotope of mass 239 The electronic configuration of plutonium is [Rn] 5f 6 7s 2, and it shows four oxidation states. Plutonium dioxide (PuO 2) Plutonium hydride (PuH 2) Plutonium fluoride (PuF 3) Interesting facts: It is found in uranium ores. It is a solid metal with a silvery-grey appearance. Plutonium is an actinide metal of silvery-gray appearance that tarnishes when exposed to air, and forms a … This reactive metal has a bright silvery-gray appearance, similar to nickel. Plutonium is a radioactive chemical element and it is a member of group 3 and period 7 in the periodic table. Plutonium-244 will also decay through spontaneous fission. 239Pu. It has been called the most complex metal and a physicist's dream but an engineer's nightmare. The atomic number of plutonium is 94 and it is indicated by symbol is Pu. Plutonium oxide forms on the surface of plutonium … It is usually alloyed with small amounts of gallium. It is a radioactive metal in the actinide series. It was discovered in 1940 by scientists studying how to split atoms to make atomic bombs. It has an atomic weight around 244, a melting point of 640 degrees C (1183 degrees F), and a boiling point of 3228 degrees C (5842 degrees F). Here are the properties of plutonium, according to the Los Alamos National Laboratory: Atomic number: 94; Atomic symbol: Pu; Atomic weight: 244; Melting point: … Plutonium is a trans-uranic radioactive element in the actinide series. The atomic number of plutonium is 94, meaning all atoms of plutonium have 94 protons. Pure plutonium metal is silvery-gray in appearance, but it glows red in the dark because it is pyrophoric. 15117-48-3. Plutonium is element atomic number 94 with element symbol Pu. Plutonium has six allotropes. Plutonium is a radioactive metallic element with the atomic number 94. The chemical symbol for Plutonium is Pu . PLUTONIUM-239. 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